A SCHEMING inside-forward who learnt his trade with West Bromwich Albion.

He failed to hold down a regular place at The Hawthorns and after four goals in 21 games, he was transferred to Walsall in December 1955 for the sum of £1,600.

At Fellows Park he fared far better and soon settled into The Saddlers' front-line alongside Tony Richards.

He was a key figure in our fourth division Championship success of 1959/60 as he weighed in with 11 goals to become one of five Saddlers' players to reach double figures that season).

Hodgkisson then went on to play his part as we surged into the second division during the following campaign.

He left the club in the summer of 1966 to join Worcester City. In later years he served with the likes of Dudley Town (as player in 1967/68 and then manager from 1968 to 1971) and Greets Green Prims, before returning to West Bromwich Albion as coach in 1975, linking up with his former Walsall team-mate, Albert McPherson.

In 1981 he was promoted to youth team manager at The Hawthorns, but left the club in 1985.

Since then he has done some scouting work, whilst still living in West Bromwich, and is a regular at former player events here at the Banks's Stadium.

An interesting piece of trivia is that Ken Hodgkisson was The Saddlers' first-ever substitute when he came on against Workington in August 1965.